Overlooked: Women's Health Can't Wait

Cesarean births are one of the most common operations in the world, and yet, we know surprisingly little about the impact and legacy of this surgery in our bodies.

Host Golda Arthur had two emergency cesarean births, and 20 years later, she's still making sense of their legacy. In this episode, she sits down with Rachel Somerstein, author of Invisible Labor: The Untold Story of the Cesarean Section, and Helena Grant, president of New York Midwives, to talk about why cesarean births are overlooked. 

They discuss:

- The origin of this surgery, which in the United States was first practiced on enslaved women.

- Why the rate of c-sections is so high in the US.

- Why recovery takes far longer than anyone tells you. 

- What to know if you’re pregnant, or trying to have a baby, and want to know more about cesarean births. 

If you would like to share your story with us, write to us at [email protected].

The newsletter that accompanies this episode has more links and resources and a deeper dive into this topic. Subscribe here.

 

New to Overlooked? Welcome.
Overlooked tells powerful stories about women's health conditions that don't get enough attention. The show is hosted by Golda Arthur, an audio journalist and producer.

Want more Overlooked? Here's what you can do:
1. CLICK 'follow' wherever you listening to this, and episodes will come to you automatically.

2. GET THE NEWSLETTER for a deeper dive on this topic + resources and links + the backstory to the episode and Golda's personal take on it. Sign up here https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/e4b85028b6

3. VISIT OUR WEBSITE https://overlookedpod.com/ to learn about the show.

4. JOIN A STORYTELLING WORKSHOP to learn how to tell your own health story in sound. Sign up here - https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/a0aa7482e5

5. SUPPORT THE SHOW: We're an independent podcast. If you have found value in our stories, make a contribution to help us thrive and keep doing work that matters https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/products/make-a-one-time-donation-to-overlooked

Get in touch, stay in touch
CONNECT: [email protected]
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/overlookedpod/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/105541285/admin/dashboard/

DISCLAIMER What you hear and read on ‘Overlooked’ is for general information purposes only and represents the opinions of the host and guests. The content on the podcast and website should not be taken as medical advice. Every person’s body is unique, so please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions that may arise.

This episode comes from our listeners, and features their stories about diagnosis and recovery, health and illness - documenting what they have lived through, how it has changed their bodies, and what this health journey has meant to them. 
This episode features stories from Spencer Moore and Jen Johnson.
These immersive and personal audio stories from our listener community have come out of First Person Health, the very first storytelling workshop from Overlooked, and will be a regular feature on the show. 
First Person Health teaches participants how to tell their stories in sound by using audio diaries and learning narrative storytelling skills. 
To learn more about First Person Health, or apply to be in a workshop, click here. 
For the backstory on this episode, subscribe to the newsletter here. 

New to Overlooked? Welcome.
Overlooked tells powerful stories about women's health conditions that don't get enough attention. The show is hosted by Golda Arthur, an audio journalist and producer.

Want more Overlooked? Here's what you can do:
1. CLICK 'follow' wherever you listening to this, and episodes will come to you automatically.

2. GET THE NEWSLETTER for a deeper dive on this topic + resources and links + the backstory to the episode and Golda's personal take on it. Sign up here https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/e4b85028b6

3. VISIT OUR WEBSITE https://overlookedpod.com/ to learn about the show.

4. JOIN A STORYTELLING WORKSHOP to learn how to tell your own health story in sound. Sign up here - https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/a0aa7482e5

5. SUPPORT THE SHOW: We're an independent podcast. If you have found value in our stories, make a contribution to help us thrive and keep doing work that matters https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/products/make-a-one-time-donation-to-overlooked

Get in touch, stay in touch
CONNECT: [email protected]
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/overlookedpod/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/105541285/admin/dashboard/

DISCLAIMER What you hear and read on ‘Overlooked’ is for general information purposes only and represents the opinions of the host and guests. The content on the podcast and website should not be taken as medical advice. Every person’s body is unique, so please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions that may arise.

A 'previvor' is a person who doesn't have cancer but carries a genetic risk for developing it. And if that's you, it can feel like you've suddenly been pulled into a world that can be overwhelming and scary. Michelle Zimmerman, CEO and co-founder of Previvor Edge, talks about what previvorship actually means, why people resist genetic testing, and how to move past the fear of knowing your cancer risk.
More background on this episode:
Previvor Edge
Subscribe to the newsletter for the backstory on this episode, and a deeper dive on the content.
What to listen to next: where host Golda Arthur's previvor story began.

New to Overlooked? Welcome.
Overlooked tells powerful stories about women's health conditions that don't get enough attention. The show is hosted by Golda Arthur, an audio journalist and producer.

Want more Overlooked? Here's what you can do:
1. CLICK 'follow' wherever you listening to this, and episodes will come to you automatically.

2. GET THE NEWSLETTER for a deeper dive on this topic + resources and links + the backstory to the episode and Golda's personal take on it. Sign up here https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/e4b85028b6

3. VISIT OUR WEBSITE https://overlookedpod.com/ to learn about the show.

4. JOIN A STORYTELLING WORKSHOP to learn how to tell your own health story in sound. Sign up here - https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/a0aa7482e5

5. SUPPORT THE SHOW: We're an independent podcast. If you have found value in our stories, make a contribution to help us thrive and keep doing work that matters https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/products/make-a-one-time-donation-to-overlooked

Get in touch, stay in touch
CONNECT: [email protected]
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/overlookedpod/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/105541285/admin/dashboard/

DISCLAIMER What you hear and read on ‘Overlooked’ is for general information purposes only and represents the opinions of the host and guests. The content on the podcast and website should not be taken as medical advice. Every person’s body is unique, so please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions that may arise.

In the last week of 2025, host Golda Arthur went to the emergency room with a sudden, intense headache. The scan showed nothing. But sitting in an uncomfortable chair with an IV in her arm, she realized something.
In this audio essay, Golda talks about her experience in the ER, and why pain - how we express it, what we know about it, how we treat it - will be a central theme of Overlooked in 2026.
If you have a pain story, or a suggestion for a specific pain topic, email us at [email protected]. 
Subscribe to the newsletter for the backstory on this episode, and a deeper dive on the content.
[The episode features 'Morning Glare' and 'Pacific Time', music from Blue Dot Sessions] 
 

New to Overlooked? Welcome.
Overlooked tells powerful stories about women's health conditions that don't get enough attention. The show is hosted by Golda Arthur, an audio journalist and producer.

Want more Overlooked? Here's what you can do:
1. CLICK 'follow' wherever you listening to this, and episodes will come to you automatically.

2. GET THE NEWSLETTER for a deeper dive on this topic + resources and links + the backstory to the episode and Golda's personal take on it. Sign up here https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/e4b85028b6

3. VISIT OUR WEBSITE https://overlookedpod.com/ to learn about the show.

4. JOIN A STORYTELLING WORKSHOP to learn how to tell your own health story in sound. Sign up here - https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/a0aa7482e5

5. SUPPORT THE SHOW: We're an independent podcast. If you have found value in our stories, make a contribution to help us thrive and keep doing work that matters https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/products/make-a-one-time-donation-to-overlooked

Get in touch, stay in touch
CONNECT: [email protected]
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/overlookedpod/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/105541285/admin/dashboard/

DISCLAIMER What you hear and read on ‘Overlooked’ is for general information purposes only and represents the opinions of the host and guests. The content on the podcast and website should not be taken as medical advice. Every person’s body is unique, so please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions that may arise.

Cait Reeves lived with severe adenomyosis pain for years before getting a diagnosis. In this episode, she tells us about the struggle to be heard by doctors, the breakthrough moment when she found language to describe her pain - comparing it to a garden trowel carving into a pumpkin - and the changes that helped her reclaim her life. A listener-requested episode.
The newsletter has the backstory to this episode, sign up for it here.
Join us for our first virtual open house, where you can meet host Golda Arthur and producer Jesica Martinez de Hoz, and learn more about how Overlooked is produced, and what's coming next. Sign up here. 
Apply to be part of our next health storytelling workshop, where you'll learn the skills to record and craft your own health story in sound. More on 'First Person Health' here.
 

New to Overlooked? Welcome.
Overlooked tells powerful stories about women's health conditions that don't get enough attention. The show is hosted by Golda Arthur, an audio journalist and producer.

Want more Overlooked? Here's what you can do:
1. CLICK 'follow' wherever you listening to this, and episodes will come to you automatically.

2. GET THE NEWSLETTER for a deeper dive on this topic + resources and links + the backstory to the episode and Golda's personal take on it. Sign up here https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/e4b85028b6

3. VISIT OUR WEBSITE https://overlookedpod.com/ to learn about the show.

4. JOIN A STORYTELLING WORKSHOP to learn how to tell your own health story in sound. Sign up here - https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/a0aa7482e5

5. SUPPORT THE SHOW: We're an independent podcast. If you have found value in our stories, make a contribution to help us thrive and keep doing work that matters https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/products/make-a-one-time-donation-to-overlooked

Get in touch, stay in touch
CONNECT: [email protected]
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/overlookedpod/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/105541285/admin/dashboard/

DISCLAIMER What you hear and read on ‘Overlooked’ is for general information purposes only and represents the opinions of the host and guests. The content on the podcast and website should not be taken as medical advice. Every person’s body is unique, so please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions that may arise.